You see you want to come Asiki-land, though I tell you it rum place,
and," he added with certitude and a circular sweep of his hand, "by
Jingo! you here now and I daresay they give you all the gold you want."
"What's the good of gold unless one can get away with it? What's the
good of anything if we are prisoners among these devils?"
"Perhaps time show, Major. Hush! here come dinner. You sit still on
stool and look holy."
The door opened and through it appeared four of the women bearing dishes
and cups full of drink, fashioned of gold like that which had been given
to Alan in the litter. He noticed at once that they had removed their
veils and outer garments, if indeed they were the same women, and now,
like many other Africans, were but lightly clad in linen capes open in
front that hung over their shoulders, short petticoats or skirts about
their middles, and sandals. Such was their attire which, scanty as it
might be, was yet becoming enough and extremely rich. Thus the cape was
fastened with a brooch of worked gold, so were the sandal straps,
while the petticoat was adorned with beads of gold that jingled as they
walked, and amongst them strings of other beads of various and beautiful
colours, that might be glass or might be precious stones.
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